📘 Rules — Easy English Guide for Middle School Students
👩🏫 About the Book
Rules is a popular middle school book written by Cynthia Lord. It teaches us how to understand people who are different from us, especially those with autism.
📚 Other books by the author
- Touch Blue
- Half a Chance
- A Handful of Stars
🧸 Main Characters
- Catherine — A caring 12-year-old girl who wants a normal life.
- David — Her younger brother with autism.
- Jason — A boy who cannot speak and uses a communication book.
- Kristi — A new girl in the neighborhood.
📖 Easy Summary
Catherine makes many “rules” so her brother David can understand the world better. But as she spends time with Jason and Kristi, she slowly learns that rules are not the most important thing — understanding and kindness are.
⚡ Turning Point
Jason tells Catherine he wants to be treated the same as other kids. This moment helps Catherine understand that everyone wants respect.
💗 Emotional Moments
- Catherine makes new word cards for Jason
- Catherine realizes she made rules for “her own comfort”
- “Everyone has something they wish they could change.”
🌟 Key Quote
“Just because someone looks different, doesn’t mean they want to be treated differently.”
📘 Useful Vocabulary
- Autism — A condition where people think or feel differently
Jason has autism and communicates in his own way. - Rule — A guide or direction
Catherine makes rules for David. - Communication — Sharing thoughts
Jason uses a communication book to talk. - Difference — Something not the same
We should respect people’s differences. - Respect — To treat well
Everyone deserves respect.
📚 Grammar Points
- Present continuous — Jason is using his book.
- because / although — Although Jason cannot speak, he tries to express himself.
- To-infinitive — Catherine tries to help him.
- Comparatives — Jason becomes more confident.
- Indirect questions — She wonders what he feels.
🧩 Understanding Autism
Autism is not “wrong.” It is just a different way of thinking and feeling. People with autism may react differently because they sense the world in their own way.
This book teaches us to be patient, kind, and respectful toward everyone.
This book teaches us to be patient, kind, and respectful toward everyone.
✍️ Essay Topics
1) How should we treat people who are different?
2) What does “Rules” really mean in the story?
3) What did Catherine learn from Jason?
💡 Helpful Ideas
- Understanding differences builds strong friendships.
- Rules should help, not limit people.
- Communication means listening carefully.
📘 중학생을 위한 《Rules》 쉬운 해설
👩🏫 책 소개
Rules는 Cynthia Lord가 쓴 유명한 성장소설입니다. 이 책은 “다른 사람을 이해하는 법”을 알려주는 작품으로 중학교 영어 필독서로 자주 사용됩니다.
📚 작가의 다른 작품
- Touch Blue
- Half a Chance
- A Handful of Stars
🧸 주요 등장인물
- Catherine — 동생을 돌보는 착한 12살 소녀
- David — 자폐 스펙트럼을 가진 동생
- Jason — 말을 할 수 없지만, 의사소통 책으로 대화함
- Kristi — 새로 이사 온 친구
📖 줄거리 쉽게 이해하기
Catherine은 동생 David가 세상을 더 잘 이해하도록 여러 “규칙”을 만들어 줍니다. 하지만 새로운 사람들과 어울리면서 진짜 중요한 것은 규칙이 아니라 ‘사람을 이해하는 마음’임을 깨닫습니다.
⚡ 전환점
Jason이 “나도 다른 아이처럼 대우받고 싶어.”라고 말하는 장면입니다. 이 한마디는 Catherine의 생각을 깊게 바꿔 줍니다.
💗 감동 장면
- Jason을 위해 새로운 단어 카드를 만들어주는 장면
- 규칙이 사실은 Catherine 자신을 위한 것이었다는 깨달음
- “Everyone has something they wish they could change.”
🌟 핵심 문장
“Just because someone looks different, doesn’t mean they want to be treated differently.”
📘 필수 단어
- Autism — 자폐 / *Jason has autism.*
- Rule — 규칙 / *Catherine makes rules.*
- Communication — 의사소통 / *Jason uses a communication book.*
- Difference — 차이 / *Respect differences.*
- Respect — 존중 / *We must respect others.*
📚 문법 5개
- 현재진행형
- because / although
- to부정사
- 비교급
- 간접의문문
🧩 Autism 이해하기
Autism은 잘못된 것이 아닙니다. 그냥 세상을 바라보는 방식이 다른 것입니다.
우리는 ‘다른 점’을 존중하고 배려해야 합니다.
우리는 ‘다른 점’을 존중하고 배려해야 합니다.
✍️ 에세이 주제 추천
- 다른 사람을 어떻게 대해야 할까?
- 이야기 속의 “Rules”는 어떤 의미일까?
- Catherine은 Jason에게서 무엇을 배웠을까?
💡 중심 내용 추천
- 다름을 이해하면 진짜 우정이 생긴다.
- 규칙은 사람을 돕는 도구여야 한다.
- 진짜 소통은 ‘잘 들어주는 것’이다.
🎉 결론
《Rules》는 “다름을 존중하고 이해하는 마음”을 배우는 최고의 책입니다. 수행평가·발표·에세이 준비에 큰 도움이 됩니다!